St. Edana of Ireland

St. Edana (also Edna and Eidyn) lived near the confluence of the Boyle and Shannon Rivers in the sixth century. Her name means “little fire.” She received the veil from St. Patrick himself.

There are parishes in western Ireland named for St. Edana. She is the patron of the parishes of Tuarnia in western Ireland in the dioceses of Elphin and Tuam.

The City of Edinburgh, now Scotland’s capital, is believed to have been named for the Irish nun: “Dùn Édana”, meaning “Edana’s castle” or “Edana’s fortress”. St. Edana eventually traveled to Scotland and founded a convent there. Scottish historians have claimed that the city was named for a fort built there around 638 by King Edwin. After he captured the site from the Gododdin he built “Dùn Éideann” (for “Dunedin”) – Eidyn’s fort. However, long before the time of King Edwin, there was Edana’s Sanctuary, where the Irish nun founded her convent.